Tuberculosis is often confused with the flu, which hinders the treatment of the disease. Look at the symptoms that differentiate it
World Tuberculosis Day (March 24) was established in 1982 by the World Health Organization (WHO). The date emerged in homage to the 100th anniversary of the announcement of the discovery of the bacillus that causes tuberculosis, which took place on March 24, 1882, by the physician Robert Koch.
According to the WHO, one third of the world’s population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and, therefore, is at risk of developing the disease. Additionally, there are approximately 8.8 million patients and 1.1 million deaths annually worldwide.
In the Brazilian territory, the condition is quite frequent. Brazil ranks 17th out of 22 countries responsible for 82% of all TB cases worldwide. While it’s a disease that can be prevented, treated, and even cured, it still kills an estimated 4,700 people each year in the country.
The Ministry of Health points out that each untreated pulmonary tuberculosis patient can infect an average of 10 to 15 people a year. Some factors contribute to the spread of the disease, such as poverty and low income distribution, AIDS, malnutrition, poor sanitary conditions and high population density.
Warning signs
The most common symptoms and signs of tuberculosis are:
- Dry cough or discharge for more than three weeks, which may progress to coughing up pus or blood;
- Excessive tiredness and prostration;
- Low-grade fever usually in the afternoon;
- night sweats;
- Lack of appetite;
- Hoarseness.
However, some patients show no signs of the disease, while others have seemingly simple symptoms that go unnoticed for months. It can be confused with the flu, for example, and evolve for 3 or 4 months without the infected person knowing it, at the same time transmitting the disease to other people.
Long road to the diagnosis of tuberculosis
This is what happened to entrepreneur Ariane Albino, 32, who suspected she had the flu or Covid-19 when a strong cough did not subside, in April 2022. With a daughter just over two years old, she immediately got tested to rule out any risk of covid-19 and started treatment for a possible flu.
Initially, with the medicines bought at the pharmacy, it got a little better, but the cough came back more and more. At these moments, he rushed to the emergency departments, where he received antibiotics or corticoids. “Sleeping through the night was practically impossible, because the cough was constant. But I thought I was working a lot, with a small daughter at home and very tired from the heavy routine and this was reflected in my body,” she says.
It was after a trip to Chile in August that the symptoms got even worse. “There, with the most intense cold, climbing mountains, in short, things that demanded a lot from my body, I started to feel, in addition to extreme tiredness, night sweats”, he recalls. She says she stayed in the country for seven days and, when she returned, I began to feel even worse.
The warning about the risk of tuberculosis has come from where I least expected it. The entrepreneur’s father saw news of tuberculosis symptoms in an application with health services created by the municipality of Curitiba, where the family lives. “My father then made an appointment with his infectologist the same day. Observing the symptoms, the doctor already suspected tuberculosis, asked for tests and confirmed the diagnosis. The scare was enormous, since, in addition to having the disease, there was a risk that my family got it too,” recalls Ariane.
Streaming
Tuberculosis is contagious and transmission is direct from person to person. Crowding is the main condition for infection. When talking, sneezing or coughing, the tuberculosis patient expels small drops of saliva that contain the infectious agent. The presence of malnutrition, diabetes, smoking, drug use, decreased immune defenses are risk factors for macrobacteria to multiply and develop the infection.
When to seek help
The infectious disease specialist of the Marcelino Champagnat hospital, Camila Ahrens, warns that, in case of persistent cough and lack of appetite it is important to activate the alert and look for a health unit to be tested for tuberculosis. If treated correctly, it is cured and leaves no sequelae.
Although Ariane only found out about the diagnosis five months later, she hasn’t had any problems, says the doctor. Furthermore, four days before taking the last pills, the entrepreneur discovered a new pregnancy. “Tuberculosis is a dangerous disease, but if treated, it is curable,” emphasizes the infectious disease specialist.
“Tuberculosis is curable, and the treatment offered by the SUS consists in taking the drug correctly for six months. Especially in this period, one should reduce alcohol, invest in a healthier diet and physical activity”, explains the specialist .
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
